NatureMapping Animal Facts

Western Screech-Owl

Western Screech-Owl (Otus kennicottii)Tecolote occidental - en Espaņol
The scientific name commemorates the American naturalist Robert Kennicott.
Species Code: OTKE

Description:
The Western Screech-Owl is 7 - 10 inches in length and has squatty look.
It has yellow eyes and may have gray or brown feathers with faint dark
streaks on its lower body. Their feathers, like other owls, are soft
and fluffy looking. The western screech owl also has ear tufts similar
to those of a Great Horned Owl. Because of this similarity, people
often mistake screech owls for baby Great Horned Owls. Great Horned
Owls, however, do not leave the nest until they are full grown, so this
mistake can be easily avoided.

Call:
Series of short whistled hoots, more closely spaced at end of series.

Range/Habitat:
The Western Screech-Owl found across the Western United States and
Canada. Screech-Owls can be found in a variety of different habitats
including deserts, all types of forests and wooded areas, shrublands,
orchards, and suburbs. They are found more frequently found at lower
elevations. The Screech-Owls that live at high elevations in the Rocky
Mountains are known to fly down into the warmer, more protected valleys
during the winter.

Nesting:
Western Screech-Owls usually build their nests in
hollow trees or standing snags, often in a natural tree hole or an
abandoned woodpecker hole. These nests are typically 6.5 - 20 feet up,
but have been found as high as 50 feet above the ground. A female
Screech-Owl will lay 3 or 4 eggs in the nest and will incubate them for
about 26 days.

Diet:
Like other owls, Screech-Owls hunt for food at night, but unlike most
owls, they do nearly all of their hunting from the air rather than from
a perch. When they locate their prey, they swoop down silently and
carry it to a branch. Once there, the screech owl will tear the prey
apart before eating it. Screech owls are carnivores, eating rodents
such as mice and shrews, birds, and other small animals. They are also
invertivores, eating a variety of insects. The diet of the screech owl
varies based on the season, which determines what types of prey are
available.

Behavior:
The Western Screech-Owl is a master of disguise. When one of these
small owls is frightened or threatened, it will stretch its body and
tighten its feathers, causing it to look like a branch but all but the
keenest of predators. This effective form of camouflage explains why
these owls are not often seen by people.